Politics Roundup: Leventhal Makes Pitch, Leggett Gets WaPo Nod

Leventhal Makes Pitch For Fourth Term In Campaign Video – At-large Councilmember George Leventhal is making his pitch for another four years on the Council with a recently released campaign video that highlights his contributions to social and environmental initiatives.

The Takoma Park resident cites his involvement in Montgomery Cares, a network of medical clinics that’s projected to provide 31,000 uninsured county residents with healthcare and free prescription drugs this year. He also highlights his leading the charge on a Housing First philosophy for housing the county’s homeless. Leventhal touts his involvement in Bethesda Green and its “very small investment of taxpayer dollars,” plus his role as a founder and non-voting board member of transit activist group Purple Line Now.

“Being truly committed to public service means using the power of government to make life better for people who need help now, not next week or next year, but right now,” Leventhal says in the roughly three-minute YouTube spot.

Leventhal is one of four at-large members of Council, charged with representing the entire county of roughly 1 million residents. His at-large colleagues Marc Elrich, Nancy Floreen and Hans Riemer are all running for reelection and facing competition from upcounty activist Beth Daly and Olney resident Vivian Malloy.

Post Picks Leggett For Endorsement – The Washington Post editorial board has endorsed incumbent Isiah Leggett in the Democratic primary for county executive. It also took the opportunity to continue its scathing criticism of the county’s public employee unions.

The Post focuses almost its entire endorsement on the “status quo” influence of those unions, claiming the organizations are “bloated with a sense of entitlement,” and “are the chief threat to good government, sound fiscal policy and economic growth in the county.”

Leggett got high marks for cuts he made to employee benefits and pay raises during the recession. The Post editorial board said Leggett “showed his spine.”

D-16 Delegate Forum Thursday At Whitman – The D16 Democratic Club and Woman’s Democratic Club are co-sponsoring a forum for all eight Democratic candidates for the Bethesda district’s three House of Delegates seats.

The event starts at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Walt Whitman High School (7100 Whittier Blvd.). It’s the first time we know of that all eight candidates will be in the same forum.